Kwok, Yiu-fai. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-89). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.I / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.II / TABLE OF CONTENT --- p.III / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.V / Chapter 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Motivation of this project --- p.1 / Chapter 1.3 --- Organization --- p.2 / Chapter 2 --- LITERATURE SURVEY --- p.3 / Chapter 2.1 --- Ionic Conducting Polymer Film (ICPF) --- p.3 / Chapter 2.2 --- Electroactive Polymer (EAP) --- p.4 / Chapter 2.3 --- Micro Active Guide Wire Catheter System --- p.5 / Chapter 2.4 --- Space Application - Dust Wiper --- p.6 / Chapter 2.5 --- Micro gripper --- p.8 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary of literature survey --- p.14 / Chapter 3 --- METAL-POLYMER COMPOSITIONS --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.15 / Chapter 3.2 --- Perfluorosulfonic acid polymer (Nafion) --- p.15 / Chapter 3.3 --- Working principle of ICPF --- p.19 / Chapter 3.4 --- Different types of composition --- p.21 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Chromium-Gold-polymer composite --- p.23 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Platinum-Gold-polymer composite --- p.25 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Silver-polymer composite --- p.27 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Silver/Copper-gold polymer composite --- p.27 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Gold-polymer composite --- p.28 / Chapter 4 --- ICPF FABRICATION --- p.30 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.30 / Chapter 4.2 --- ICPF fabrication process --- p.31 / Chapter 4.3 --- Surface pre-treatment --- p.33 / Chapter 4.4 --- Gold thin film deposition (Evaporation) --- p.34 / Chapter 4.4.1. --- Filament evaporation --- p.35 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Electronic-beam evaporation --- p.39 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Structural analysis of evaporation --- p.40 / Chapter 4.5 --- Chemical electroplating --- p.42 / Chapter 4.5.1. --- Deposition rate calibration --- p.44 / Chapter 5 --- DESIGN AND PACKAGE --- p.46 / Chapter 6 --- LASER MICROMACHINING --- p.49 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction to Laser micromachining --- p.49 / Chapter 6.2 --- C02 laser --- p.50 / Chapter 6.3 --- Nd:YAG Laser --- p.51 / Chapter 6.4 --- Laser micromachining of ICPF actuator --- p.52 / Chapter 7 --- EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND ANALYSIS --- p.61 / Chapter 7.1 --- Introduction --- p.61 / Chapter 7.2 --- Measurement setup --- p.62 / Chapter 7.3 --- Width test --- p.68 / Chapter 7.4 --- Length test --- p.73 / Chapter 7.5 --- Voltage test --- p.76 / Chapter 8 --- MICRO GRIPPER ACTUATION --- p.79 / Chapter 8.1 --- Development of micro gripper --- p.79 / Chapter 8.2 --- Micro gripper --- p.80 / Chapter 9 --- CONCLUSION --- p.82 / Chapter 10 --- APPENDIX --- p.83 / Chapter 10.1 --- Procedures in using E-beam evaporator --- p.83 / Chapter 10.2 --- Procedures in using Thermo couple evaporator --- p.85 / Chapter 11 --- REFERENCE --- p.87